Hondo Gravel

Opinions?

Metieval

if you're going to run tubes, I like the 60 tpi. version the sidewalls are a bit stiffer allowing for a bit lower psi. The bad news it's almost as heavy as the tubless versions.

On gravel the MSO is fast, on pavement they drag a bit.

If I was to ever buy and ride another MSO I'd pick the 700x36 tubeless version.

Cyclist0108

The 120 TPI is much better, but I recently ditched that for Compass Stellacooms 38mm and it is a VAST improvement.

BTW these used to be labelled "Clement" so if you look for Clement MSO opinions, you might find a lot more info.

mstateglfr 

Responding to another post- I'm not sure why a 60tpi would be better than 120 for running lower psi with a tube. Skeptical of that for sure.

as for opinion of the MSO tire...
I have 40mm MSO in 120tpi and have loved them. I looked hard at a bunch of other tires a few weeks ago and ended right back at the MAP.
I think they are quite reasonably fast on pavement. It's a 40mm tire made for gravel...it isnt going to be as fast as a quality road tire for obvious reasons and comparing it to a road tire is absurd.
the centerline is smooth and comfortable. The tread has always been good enough for me.

i use tubes and mine have never gotten a flat for what its worth. I think the tires are excellent.

the SC model stands for single compound.
my 40mm 120tpi clincher weight 385g. The tubeless SC weighs 532g in 60tpi(ive read tubeless is 60tpi somewhere). I've also read a stiffer sidewall for tubeless is typical so thst makes sense for it to be 60tpi.

wheelsmcgee

Gconan

I have 40mm tubeless 60tpi MSO Clements and as others have said they are awesome on gravel/dirt. They are comfortable tires, even going over roots.

Hondo Gravel

ericzamora

I have the Clement X'Plor MSO 40c tires on 700c wheels, came stock on my new Norco Search XR 105. I was intending on switching out to cool skinwall tires, and the WTB Riddlers were at the top of my list, but ya know? i'm liking these Clement MSOs. Not sure which tpi they are, but i'm running tubeless at around 40psi. Just completed a half century two days ago with them, and they felt fine. All on pavement. Dang, might take awhile to wear these out before i can go skinwalls...

eric
fresno, ca.

Hiro11

These are some of the more well regarded gravel tires available. I've used both the 36mm and the 50mm tubeless versions. These tires are tough, durable and roll reasonably well. They also have pretty good traction in wet conditions. The MSOs are heavier and not as fast rolling as some other similarly-sized gravel tires but they also have a bit more tread and are more flat resistant and robust than most. The 50s in particular are heavy (750g) and tough as nails. I've ridden the 50s on true single track, they're almost like an XC race tire. The 36s are significantly lighter and faster rolling and make pretty good racing tires.

Both tires set up tubeless fairly easily for me. I typically ran the 36s at ~40 psi and I'm currently running the 50s at 25-30 psi. The tubeless 50s at 25 psi offer Cadillac ride on even the roughest gravel.

tclong03

These tires are awesome. Love mine they work get in everything even in mud. They just kept going through the mud. Never spun out with them.

bcpriess

I like mine. They don't feel limiting, and they work well on a pretty wide range of surfaces. Also running 60tpi w tubes.

syncro87

I recently replaced my Clement MSO tubed after a couple thousand miles with the new Donnelly equivalent in tubeless ready. Both tires were defective from the factory. Once I got them mounted, the tread was molded off center at a certain point on both tires. The bead was even. My LBS that sold them to me took a look and agreed that they were obviously defective. They kindly took them back and told me they'd deal with Donnelly. No more MSO in stock, so I chose some Specialized Pathfinder Pros. Man, are they fast rolling.

Anyway, in my experience, the original MSO (700x40) I had were great. The switch to Donnelly, QC went downhill in my case. Pretty odd to get two bad tires at the same time, but they definitely should have never made it to a retail store.

If you get good ones, the Donnellys are very nice tires. The Pathfinders, IMHO, are better yet, assuming you can deal with the non aggressive tread with the riding you do.

Jazzguitar

Hiro11

Metieval

530g for a 36mm tire? ouch!

Jazzguitar

obrentharris 

Stiffer sidewall provides more protection against pinchflats at low pressures.
Brent

syncro87

Clement MSOs came on my bike stock (700x40), and they were very good. I wore them out and bought another set, now called Donnelly. The second set was garbage. When mounted, they were molded improperly, you could see the center line of the tire wobbling all over the place when you rotated the wheel. It wasn't the mounting...the tires were defective. LBS agreed and was surprised they were that bad. They let me exchange them out. I went with Specialized Pathfinder Pro as the replacement, and they are impressive. Fast, too. For more aggressive stuff (winter), I'm running WTB Resolutes (42), and the Path Pros (38) in summer.

Anyway, in my limited experience of two pair, when the MSOs were Clement branded, they were good (although quite puncture prone with tubes). Now that they are branded Donnelly, poor.

The Spec PP are faster, and the Resolutes are grippier in less than ideal conditions while being surprisingly speedy. Running both tubeless. I went through a bunch of tires until I found these two, which are the best I've come across for harder, drier conditions and wetter, looser conditions respectively.

On the subject of tires, one that I was really unimpressed with are the Teravail Cannonballs. They felt so heavy, dead, wooden that I took them off after a couple hundred miles if that. The Resolutes are far superior IMO.